if the republican leader were serious about preventing us from going over the fiscal cliff, he would urge his colleague, the speaker, tpo get the house to -- to get the house to take up the senate-passed bill now. there are republicans who have already said that's the right thing to do, conservatives, moderates, we had one senator today who said she thinks that should happen. in the meantime -- that was a republican senator, by the way. the republican leader is, mr. president, just as stunned. the election is over. it's time to get down to business. mr. president, this paper he has, secretary geithner didn't bring that stack of stuff to me. it was a private meeting, trying to work something out with this very troublesome issue fating -- facing this country: the deficit, the debt. this private meeting turned out to be a publicity stunt for republicans talking about what he had said in private. so, mr. president, i object. the presiding officer: objection is heard. mr. mcconnell: mr. president, on the underlying -- the presiding officer: the republican leader. mr. mcconnell: i would ju